I am gonna buy a double din radio. Of course they all say you cant but If I order from crutchfield and I say it is going into a 05 explorer will the install kit work for my ranger?

If not what is a good install kit to buy and from where

 

Metra is the brand I used. Worked fine for me.

 

You have to order it online or can you get it at bestbuy or walmart?

 

I just use the install kit from Walmart and it works fine for me. You can't get a double DIN radio from best buy or walmart for your truck? I got mine off craigslist and just had to buy the install kit and wire adaptor and put it in.

 

Best buy sells metra brand. It's probly the most commonly used brand of install kit out there. Not sure how much of it you would actually use installing a double din, but I guess it couldn't hurt to have it. Definitely going to want to get the wiring harness, and that's sold based on your vehicle, also at best buy. I don't know how good the wal-mart stuff is. Good luck with the install.

 

use a laser torch
no problems :D

 

Metra 95-5600. is the kit to use

 

Metra or schosche are both good brands. People say Metra is better but when I bought the Schosche one from walmart and it works perfectly.

 

Wont the radio come with a wiring harness?

 

No you have to buy the one so you can wire it up to your stock harness. It's like $10.

 

The harness you buy plugs directly into the harness you pull out of your factory radio. Then the new radio and the new harness you just bought get wired together. You could cut your factory plug, and just wire it up to the new radio, and get to have fun matching wires. But then if you ever want to go back to factory, to sell your vehicle, you have to re-wire all over again vs just plugging it back in. The new harness you buy is well worth it IMO. It's a much cleaner and professional install.

 

My truck already has a aftermarket radio. I bought shortly after getting the truck. It is the same brand that the double DIN is

 

I bought my double din install kit from Best Buy. The guys on the sale floor were about worthless but the one who worked for their instalation dept. knew what to order.

 

i just removed a lil material inside of the factory bezel and made my own brackets and did a custom iso mount, for a pioneer 900BT looks great....love it

 

regardless what double din you get im pretty sure you'll have to trim the radio bezel the little bottom lip on it where the radio goes. just use a dremel and go at slow increments

 

Correct.

 

Has anyone put a single din head unit and a single din (or close to it) CB in using a double din bezel?

Kris

 

In doing so do you make it so that you can never install the factory radio back into the radio bezel?

I ask because I am going to install my spare avic d3 that I have but don't want to cut the bezel if it means that if I ever have to go and put the stock head unit back in it won't work..etc.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

I installed a double din Pioneer AVIC init last year and had to trim the top and bottom lip on the stock radio benzel.
Just be careful to not trim too much with the dremel and keep test fitting until you have the correct fit for the install kit.
I also was concerned about reinstalling the factory radio . However I did go back and check and reinstall the factory unit and it was no issue even with the bit of trimming I did to the stock bezel.